DOLAN - Fairfield University...influential startup investment groups. Holding their monthly or semi-annual meetings in the Dolan School dining room, the Angel Investor Forum (AIF)

DOLAN REPORT | WINTER 2019 i

CHARLES F. DOLAN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY | WINTER 2019

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ii WINTER 2019 | DOLAN REPORT

Welcome Dean Zhan Li, DBA

This fall, Fairfield University welcomed Zhan Li as dean of the Charles F. Dolan School of Business and professor of marketing, following a national search. Dr. Li comes to Dolan from the School of Economics and Business Administration at Saint Mary’s College of California, where he served as dean and professor. During his tenure at Saint

Mary’s, Dr. Li developed innovative and integrative curricula, as well as student success and career development programs that resulted in the highest enrollments and revenues in the college’s history, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Abigail Sakati ’20, an undergraduate in the Dolan School, sat down with Dean Li to learn more about him:

AS: What sparked your interest in academia?ZL: Many things motivated me to pursue academia as a career, but two things stand out. The first is that I like the freedom of intellectual pursuit. I worked a short stint in the busi-ness world and soon realized that being in the academic world gives the freedom to pursue intellectual curiosity, and that’s fascinating to me. Second, I like the impact I am able to make on students in my role as professor and dean. That’s really inspiring and rewarding.

AS: You have your BS in engineering management from the Harbin Institute of Technology, China, and taught as a visiting professor of marketing at Peking University. How have your global experiences shaped you as a leader?ZL: I grew up in China, got my master’s and doctorate degrees in the U.S., and also taught in China. This afforded me the opportunity to learn to be a global person and have a glob-al and multicultural perspective. Many principles of marketing that work in one culture may not work in other cultures. You have to be open-minded and willing to adapt. These ideas translate into my work as dean because I recognize that different institutions have different cultures, histories, and traditions that call for adaptions of policies and practices.

AS: Dolan is already a nationally ranked business school. How do you plan to build on its successes?ZL: There is a lot of great work that has already been done to lay a strong foundation for growth. One area I look to grow is our graduate programs. The second area where I see opportunity is to increase the awareness and image of the Dolan School’s brand, both regionally and nationally. I want to do even more to tell the whole nation, and the whole world, what a great school Dolan is.

“I want to do even more to tell the whole nation, and the whole world, what a great school Dolan is.”

Zhan Li, DBA Dean

Kathy Nantz, PhD Interim Associate Dean Professor of Economics

Mark LeClair, PhD Interim Director of Graduate Programs Professor of Economics

Dawn DeBiase, LCSW Assistant Dean and Director of Undergraduate Programs

Meredith McAloon, LCSW Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Programs

Sarah Bollinger-Feiner, MEd Director of Internships and Professional Development

Eve Liptak Program Coordinator

Allison Wade Integrated Marketing Manager

Nancy (Gelston) Dobos ’91Designer

Send Inquiries to:Dolan School of BusinessFairfield University1073 North Benson RoadFairfield, CT 06824-5195 203-254-4000 ext. 2843fairfield.edu/dsb

ON THE COVER:Construction of the new Dolan School of Business.

Photo by Joseph Adams

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DOLAN REPORT | WINTER 2019 1

Contents

2 Dolan Graduate Programs Ranked Among the Best in the Nation

4 Students Learn Lessons of the #MeToo Movement at the Dean’s Executive Forum

6 Fairfield StartUp is Paving the Way for Young Entrepreneurs

8 Bright Lights Are Shining at the Dolan School

10 Dolan Students Gain Global Experience

12 Professional Development Series Gives Students That Extra Edge

14 Faculty Newsbreakers

2 WINTER 2019 | DOLAN REPORT

DOLAN SCHOOL FAST FACTS

TOP 10Best Colleges for Business Majors

Money Magazine

#12Graduate Finance

U.S. News & World Report

#15Graduate Business

Analytics


#1Accounting in Connecticut

The Accounting Path

Among the Best in the Country

MBA

The Princeton Review

#15 Graduate Marketing


#21Graduate Accounting


95% Graduate students employed within 6 months of graduation

99.4%Undergraduates employed or accepted to graduate or professional school within

6 months of graduation


The Dolan School of Business continues to be distin-guished for its excellence as one of the best in the nation. Dolan’s finance (#12), marketing (#15), and info systems (#15) graduate programs are ranked in the top 15 in the U.S., according to the 2019 “Best Graduate Schools”

ranking by U.S. News and World Report. Accounting is ranked #21.“Ever-changing technology, combined with an increased entrepreneur-

ial mindset, has challenged the traditional models of business behavior and conventional ways of thinking,” said Dean Zhan Li, DBA. “Our dynamic faculty offer a rich portfolio of graduate programs so our stu-dents can gain skills in specific areas of accounting, finance, marketing, economics, and entrepreneurship, through curricula that challenges and inspires. The rankings are evidence of the caliber of a Dolan education.”

Dolan offers four graduate degree programs, all designed to inspire eth-ical business leaders for a global future. Each program offers instruction from experienced faculty who help students gain a better understanding of the larger ethical, practical, and global contexts of the workplace.

“Our master’s in accounting (MSA) program is designed to develop successful accounting professionals,” said Kathi Mettler, director of the graduate accounting program. “MSA alumni are grateful not only for the program’s support in passing the CPA exam and obtaining initial licensure but, as importantly, for the program’s emphasis on soft skills development, which is invaluable in their career success.”

As Yasin Ozcelik, PhD, chair and associate professor of the Information Systems and Operations Management Department noted, Dolan’s graduate business analytics curriculum continues to be competitive. “The relevancy of our recently revised info systems curriculum prepares students for using contemporary tools and sophisticated methods such as data mining, machine learning, business intelligence, and big data analysis in the managerial decision making process.” lD

DOLAN GRADUATE PROGRAMS Ranked Among the Best in the Nation

Why Business Professionals are Choosing Dolan for Their Advanced Degree

“I chose Fairfield for my graduate degree because of its proximity to New York City and rankings of the business school. To have the big four accounting firms constantly trying to recruit me is beyond what I ever would have hoped for when I joined the program.”

Alex Makayi Master’s in Accounting, Tax Intern at Wilemski & Company, LLC

“At Fairfield, I appreciate how the education challenges me and takes me out of my comfort zone. Working towards my advanced degree at Fairfield has made me feel more confident and excited to begin working full-time.”

Juliana Hoffmann ’18 Master’s in Business Analytics



The #MeToo movement continues to make news, while dramatically altering workplace environments. In October, Dean Zhan Li, DBA, kicked off the Dean’s Executive Forum with a panel

discussion entitled “#MeToo and Changing Dynamics in the Workforce.” The event provided timely lessons on the importance of ethics and respect in the workplace.

Introducing the first of what will be an annual forum format, Dean Li said, “The idea of the Dean’s Executive Forum is to bring thought leaders to Dolan to encourage dialogue on cutting-edge issues so our students will be ready for today’s world.”

Serving as moderator was Dolan professor Lisa A. Mainiero, PhD. Dr. Mainiero’s research includes the study of kaleidoscope career models (KCMs), the intersec-tion between workplace romance and sexual harassment, executive women, power and political strategies, and men’s and women’s new career paths. She emphasized that the evening was an opportunity to talk openly about sexual assault, sexual harassment and gender discrimina-tion, as well as the emotional toll they take.

Panelists — experts in labor law, talent management and effective work environments, among other manage-rial areas — were asked if they envision an increase in reports of harassment in the workplace, given the current news headlines and social climate.

Rachel Lieberman, senior vice president and chief counsel for labor, employment and benefits at Synchrony

Financial, believes there will be an increase in “private reports” of harassment, but a decrease in “public reports.” She emphasized that sexual harassment in the workplace “is illegal; it’s a form of discrimination.”

When Dr. Mainiero asked how workplaces might change going forward, panelists agreed that the key to positive change lies in employees being good to one an-other. Emotional intelligence and a decency quotient among employees are crucial.

“A lot more attention will be paid to getting the culture right,” said Patricia Nazemetz, formerly chief human re-source and ethics officer for Xerox Corporation, and now principal of the talent management consultancy NAZ DEC LLC. “We have to get back to treating each other with respect.”

Panelists also agreed that #MeToo has ushered in work-place scenarios in which some men are afraid to mentor or even hire women, and many people are hesitant to hold meetings attended by just two people. “I fear a step back-ward for women — a backlash,” said Lieberman.

Simon Fenner, managing director at Lukoil Pan Americas, LLC, urged students to make certain their future places of employment are respectful places where they feel comfortable.

Dr. Mainiero brought the event to a close with a per-sonal plea to attendees to seek counseling if they are victims of any kind of harassment or assault. “Rise,” she told the audience. “Remember – you are a survivor, not a victim.” lD

Dolan Students Learn Vital Lessons of the #MeToo Movement at the Dean’s Executive Forum

“ A lot more attention will be paid to getting the culture right. We have to get back to treating each other with respect.”

Patricia Nazemetz Principal, NAZ DEC LLC


Started as a scrappy, extracurricular group hosting an annual business plan competition, Fairfield StartUp has grown into a model entrepreneurship program that cultivates an entrepreneurial community throughout

Connecticut. Last year, Fairfield University’s StartUp program was honored by Connecticut Entrepreneur Awards as a leading entrepreneurial program in the state. This award came shortly after the annual Fairfield StartUp Showcase, a business model competition where teams pitch their business ideas in front of a panel of investors for seed money to scale and grow their business.

As a result of the StartUp program, the Dolan School has become a hub for entrepreneurship and a home to influential startup investment groups. Holding their monthly or semi-annual meetings in the Dolan School dining room, the Angel Investor Forum (AIF) – which connects entrepreneurs with Connecticut’s individual investors — and Crossroads Venture Group (CVG) — which connects high growth companies with the invest-ment community — have made their meeting location more convenient for the Fairfield community.

Mary Anne Rooke, P’20, managing director for AIF and executive director of CVG, initiated the move of these two group meetings to Dolan in order to give stu-dents experiential learning opportunities. This has given past StartUp teams Thrivio, Land Maverick, Tempas, Belle, and Africa Requests the opportunity to pitch their

business models at the group’s meetings, and to network with the Connecticut investor community. Through Fairfield StartUp, CVG and AIF have been able to devel-op a collaborative relationship with Fairfield University by sponsoring the Showcase and connecting Fairfield StartUp program participants with numerous mentoring opportunities.

This past summer, Fairfield University co-host-ed the newly funded Connecticut Consortium of Entrepreneurship Educators (CCEE) Summer Startup Camp with Quinnipiac University. Showcase teams and entrepreneurs from across Connecticut gathered to iron out their business models and learn from serial entrepre-neur and Columbia University entrepreneur-in-residence, Bob Dorf, plus Fairfield and Quinnipiac faculty mem-bers. Participants in the summer camp received in-depth lessons on how to accelerate their business model and market their products or services, and they also received pitch training. At the end of the program, students could elect to pitch at a CCEE event to win grant money.

Continuing the momentum to take Fairfield StartUp to bigger heights, Chris Huntley, PhD, associate profes-sor of information systems and operations management and director of Fairfield StartUp, worked with University Advancement and Marketing and Communications to successfully raise over $100,000 in sponsorships, gain-ing half a dozen new sponsors in the process. StartUp teams received the most funding in Showcase history with $50,000 awarded in total seed money and investor pledges. Land Maverick, Belle, EZ Bikes, and UNetwork stunned the audience with their unique business models and interactive presentations. 2017 Showcase finalists Tempas LLC also returned to present their progress and reveal their prototype. lD

Fairfield StartUp is Paving the Way for Young Entrepreneurs

RIGHT: Class of 2020 students and co-owners of Tempas LLC, Abigail Sakati, Matthew Fanelli, Seamus O’Brien, and Ashley Ramirez, return to the 2018 Fairfield StartUp Showcase.

FAR RIGHT: Fairfield StartUp teams make their pitches. (Top) Belle: Diandre Clarke ’18 and Romaine Thomas ’12, Farmingdale State University of New York; (middle) Land Maverick: John O’Neill ’18, Michael Bodie ’19, and Emily Yale ’18; and (bottom) UNetwork: Megan DeFeo ’19, Maggie Walsh ’19, and Holly Habyan ’19.

Photos by Mike Budny.

Don’t miss the 2019 Fairfield StartUp Showcase

on April 25, 2019 Fairfield.edu/startup



Dolan School BRIGHT LIGHTS ARE SHINING



If you’ve visited campus recently at dusk then you’ve experienced the awe of seeing the construction of Dolan’s new building lit up at night. Situated between the DiMenna-Nyselius Library and Fairfield’s Jesuit Community, the

new 85,000 square-foot Dolan School of Business is the latest new building under construction as part of Fairfield University’s Master Plan, supported by the Fairfield Rising Campaign, the largest capital campaign in the history of the University.

Prior to breaking ground in January 2018, Fairfield’s senior leadership team spent months developing the blueprint for the building and identifying the needs of a modern Jesuit Catholic business school. As new facets of the structure take shape and continue to scale, one thing remains at the center of it all: the Dolan student expe-rience. Students can expect to have a building tailored to their specific needs, including collaborative learning environments in classrooms and in open spaces through-out the building. The new building will also house an Ideation Lab, a Career Center, a Finance Lab, a Center for Applied Ethics, a Business Analytics Lab, and a Center for Entrepreneurship. All these spaces will be supported by the latest technology.

“The old model of lecture-style teaching, known as the ‘Sage on the Stage’ is giving way to something described as the ‘Guide on the Side’ where faculty move from one group of students to the next with less emphasis on a des-ignated station at the front of the classroom,” said Vice President of Facilities Management David Frassinelli. “We’ve developed a collaborative learning environment

throughout the building, designating specific rooms with the tools our business students need, where technology is at the head of the table.”

Dolan’s new building is designed with the latest tech-nology for collaborative learning in mind. The building will run on a cloud–based services platform, Amazon Web Services, allowing for ubiquitous access anytime, anywhere, to a suite of software that students can access when they need it.

In Dolan’s new Ideation Lab, students will have access to one button studios for digital video production where they can record themselves practicing for a class presenta-tion or job interview, or use the studio green screens to create visual effects. Students will have access to real-time financial market data through Bloomberg terminals in Dolan’s new Finance Lab and at other locations outside of the classroom. Two new event spaces, seating 60 and 250 people, will allow Dolan to host internationally recog-nized business leaders for Dolan signature events. And to fuel around-the-clock study sessions, students will enjoy Dunkin’ Donuts coffee at Dolan’s grab-and-go café.

“Dolan’s new building will be a great space for our busi-ness students to be creative and brainstorm,” said Dean Zhan Li, DBA. “In today’s economy where businesses are based on technology, the new Dolan School will offer the latest infrastructure to help our students succeed.” lD

LEFT: The Dolan School during early construction at twilight.

Photo by Mike Budny

Opening in the fall of 2019, the fully modernized Dolan School of Business will provide a cutting-edge learning environment for today’s future business leaders.


Michael Sweetman ’19Sydney, Australia

Megan Mannion ’19Barcelona, Spain



Studying abroad is an invaluable way for students to broaden their horizons, earn academic credit, make new friends, and learn about a new culture. Studying abroad in conjunction with an internship in another country brings

that experience to a whole new level. Approximately 9 percent of U.S. students study

abroad for some part of their college experience, but far fewer than that graduate with the added benefit of a structured, international work experience. Fairfield University pairs business students with applicable in-ternships in countries such as Italy, Australia, France, and Spain, and aims to give students the extra competi-tive edge that will set them apart from other business school graduates.

International internships are taken for credit and are structured so that students are mentored while being ex-posed to business ideas and concepts in a global setting. Allowing students the opportunity to do analysis, con-tribute to decisions, and communicate meaningful ideas are the goals of each placement.

Finance and management major Michael Sweetman ’19 completed an internship in Sydney, Australia last spring

that he considers invaluable. “My placement was with an individual who owned several businesses, from real estate to investments to a food and wine company,” he recalled. “He gave me assignments in both property management and within his investment firm, knowing that those assignments would complement both of my majors.”

“Culturally, doing business in Australia is different than it is in the U.S.,” Sweetman continued. “Australians are more casual, more likely to go out for lunch and close a deal over a couple of drinks.” As for investors, Sweetman’s boss explained that in Australia they tend to look more favorably on continued long-term growth companies than investors in the U.S., where the focus is on big growth and company reinvestment.

The internships are competitive, and all applicants take the Gallup StrengthsFinder test to determine their strengths and then match them to the best employer abroad.

Megan Mannion ’19 had several opportunities for international placements, but was very enthusiastic about the one she ultimately chose — assisting at an American-style beer hall in Barcelona, Spain, last spring. The marketing major spent her time there doing event plan-ning, structuring social media campaigns, and helping

to raise brand awareness. During her semester overseas, she lived in an apartment with five other women from Fairfield, attended a local university (Institut Quimic de Sarria) with students from Spain, and brushed up on her Spanish language skills.

One thing is certain — international internships offer students a unique experience that has a lasting impact. “I had a lot of face time with my boss, and I’m sure that my work abroad experience helped me land my cur-rent internship at a commercial real estate firm,” said Sweetman. lD

Fairfield University pairs business students with applicable internships in countries such as Italy, Australia, France, and Spain, and aims to give students the extra competitive edge that will set them apart from other business school graduates.

DOLAN STUDENTS GAIN GLOBAL EXPERIENCE


FACING PAGE TOP: Jenny Franzese, director, Mastercard HR business partner, products and innovation and Tania Arana Arteaga ’19 at the Priceless Connections networking event.

BOTTOM FROM LEFT: Also at the Priceless Connections networking event are Kevin Coppinger MSBA ’19 and Benjamin Berger, Mastercard senior analyst, big data engineer/product architect. Ha Le ’21 and John Drettler, founder of JD Revenue Growth Consulting and Dolan School executive-in-residence, attend Career Night.

Photos by Mike Budny and Kate Eisemann.

Professional Development Series Gives Students That Extra Edge

The Dolan School’s Professional Development Series (PDS) is a structured series of lectures, networking opportunities, skills workshops, and other events de-signed to complement what students are learning in the classroom. Although attending each activity is optional, Dolan students are strongly encouraged to participate, said Sarah Bollinger-Feiner, MEd, director of intern-ships and professional development. Outcomes for these students speak volumes about the merits of the program: 88 percent of graduating seniors who complete the PDS have a job or are accepted to graduate or professional school before they graduate.

According to Keely Riel ’18, the PDS “was probably one of my best experiences. The events not only helped me network, but encouraged me to do things that I prac-tice in my career now, such as staying in touch with alumni and attending events that can be helpful.” Riel, a finance and management major, is currently working in internal corporate auditing at SAP in Pennsylvania.

Ask just about any student who has participated in the PDS, and it’s a given that the Etiquette Dinner is at the top of his or her list of most valuable events. In fact, many students sign up for the event year after year. “The Etiquette Dinner goes over things like how you

Maria Flores ’17 knew she wanted to major in business, so she transferred into the Dolan School during her sophomore year. When she heard about the Professional Development Series – networking events that she could attend in addition to her regular classes – she didn’t hesitate to sign up. “I’m a first generation college student,” she explained, adding that her parents are from Ecuador. “I knew I would learn and gain valuable skills. Why not take advantage of it?”


chew, how you conduct a conversation over a meal, how you put your fork down,” said Anthony Crasto ’18. “We even learned a few tips about dinner etiquette in other cultures.” The idea is to avoid pitfalls and give students both confidence and a competitive edge when conduct-ing business over a meal.

Crasto took advantage of just about all the PDS pro-grams available. In fact, he won a monetary award from the Bank of America, one of the sponsors of the series, for his participation during his undergraduate years. He has already been offered a job as an assurance associate at PwC in New York, to begin in May after he completes his master’s in accounting.

Students also speak highly of the “Priceless Connections” event, sponsored by Mastercard, during which they had the opportunity to meet with executives from the company, explore possible career paths, practice networking skills, and learn techniques to advance professionally.

“What the PDS does is to provide a well-rounded ap-proach to giving future business leaders knowledge beyond the classroom,” said Christian Tucci ’17, who founded and operates an aerial drone and photography business, Cinematic Aerospace. “I studied accounting and technical processes [in the classroom]. But I feel like the bulk of what I do everyday is from the PDS, where I’m comfortable net-working with others and asking specific questions about their experiences so I can connect with them.”

“If I didn’t do the PDS program, I don’t think I’d be where I am today,” said Riel. “It helped me craft skills that they don’t teach in school. I’m so thankful for this program.” lD


Scott Hiller, PhD, assistant profes-sor of economics, recently presented his research, “Music Consumption Decisions With Non-Durable Streaming Options” at the Dolan Faculty Research Seminar. The paper considers what fac-tors are important to consumers when choosing between listening to music in a subscription-streaming bundle and buy-ing through more traditional physical and digital sources.

Gregory Koutmos, PhD, presented a co-authored paper, “Measuring the Relative Return Contribution of Risk Factors,” at the 86th Atlantic Economic Conference in New York City on October 12, 2018. The paper proposes a new quan-titative approach for the evaluation of risk factors for asset pricing.

Mark S. LeClair, PhD, interim direc-tor of graduate programs and professor of economics, has had the following pa-per accepted for publication in Corporate Reputation Review: “Reported Instances of Nonprofit Malfeasance: Do Donors Respond to Scandals in the Third Sector?” This article examines the rise of corrupt practices at non-profit organizations and the resulting impact on charitable giving.

Valeria Martinez, PhD, associate professor of finance, had a co-authored article accepted for publication in the Finance Research Letters Journal entitled “The Impact of Tick-Size Reductions in Foreign Currency Futures Markets.” The study examines changes in futures contracts char-acteristics such as a reduction in tick size, and how this aids investors and regulators in their analysis of trading costs, strategies, and regulation of futures markets.

Dawn W. Massey, PhD, CPA, CGMA, professor of accounting, had her co-authored paper, “Tax Fairness: Conceptual Foundations and Empirical Measurement,” accepted for publication in Journal of Business Ethics, a Financial Times top-50 journal. This paper examines what “fairness” means related to taxpayer perceptions. Dr. Massey was also appoint-ed chair of the American Accounting Association’s Outstanding Accounting Educator Award Committee for 2018-19.

Michael McDonald, PhD, assistant professor of finance, presented his re-search on “Beta Dispersion and Equity Returns” at the Dolan Faculty Research Seminar. This study examines how in-vestors can best use mutual funds versus exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in their investment portfolios.

Sharlene McEvoy, JD, PhD, profes-sor of business law, had an article accepted for publication in the Trinity Law Review entitled, “Fair Discrimination? Dias V. Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Can the Catholic Church Fire Non-Catholics for Behavior Contrary to Church Doctrine?” The article discusses a case in which a non-Catholic working in a Catholic school was fired for behavior that violated Church doctrine.

Jeffrey Moretz, PhD, assistant pro-fessor of management, and Catherine Giapponi, PhD, associate professor of management, received the Experiential Learning Association’s Best Experiential Learning Exercise Award for their paper and presentation of “Stakeholders and Business Strategy: A Role-Play Negotiation Exercise.” Drs. Moretz and Giapponi pre-sented their paper and engaged conference

FACULTY NEWSBREAKERS

Valeria Martinez Dawn MasseyGregory Koutmos Mark LeClair David Schmidt Debra Strauss


DOLAN REPORT | WINTER 2019 15DOLAN UPDATE | WINTER 2019 15

participants in a classroom simulation of their exercise at the Eastern Academy of Management Conference.

Iman Naderi, PhD, assistant profes-sor of marketing, published “I’m Nice, Therefore I Go Green: An Investigation Of Pro-Environmentalism In Communal Narcissists,” in the Journal of Environmental Psychology. Five studies suggest that while communal narcissists claim to be pro-environmental, their behaviors may see pro-environmental actions as communal means that could potentially serve their agentic, self-directed motives. Dr. Naderi also published “Beyond the Shadow of a Doubt: The Effect of Consumer Knowledge on Restaurant Evaluation” in the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. This article investigates the effect of consumer knowledge about the type of restaurant on perceived restaurant quality.

Rajasree K. Rajamma, PhD, asso-ciate professor of marketing, published a co-authored article, “Determinants of Medical Tourism Destination Selection Process,” in the Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management. This study ex-plores why people see medical tourism as a viable option for their healthcare needs.

Dr. Rajamma and Michael Sciandra, PhD, assistant professor of market-ing, presented a paper titled “Planning and Implementing a Graduate Online Team-Taught Marketing Course” at the Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Conference in Florida. This paper examines the benefits of online team-teaching.

David Schmidt, PhD, director of the Center of Applied Ethics and associate professor of management, was featured in an interview on UATV, the International Broadcasting Multimedia Platform of Ukraine, about business ethics and aca-demic integrity in Ukraine and in the United States.

Nazuk Sharma, PhD, assistant pro-fessor of marketing, co-authored the article, “Active White Space (AWS) in Logo Designs: Effects on Logo Evaluations and Brand Communication.” The article was published in the Journal of Advertising and investigates ASW as a tool for logo design.

Debra Strauss, JD, professor of business law, published a chapter on genet-ically modified food and the recent federal labeling law (the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard) for the book,

Ethical Tensions from New Technology: The Case of Agricultural Biotechnology. The chap-ter explores the ethical implications of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Jie Tao, PhD, assistant professor of in-formation systems and operations man-agement, presented his research, “On Analysis of Forward-Looking Statements in Initial Public Offering Prospectuses: A Deep Learning Approach,” at the Dolan Faculty Research Seminar. The study finds that FLS features are more predic-tive for pre-IPO as compared to post-IPO valuation prediction.

Fairfield University’s Charles F. Dolan School of Business boasts experienced faculty who teach students the fundamentals, ethics, and new developments in business on a local and global scale.


THANK YOU 2018 CORPORATE PARTNERS


At Bank of America our purpose is to make financial lives better for our customers, our clients, and our communi-ties through the power of every connection. We are focused on driving responsible growth through initiatives that deploy capital, help create jobs, de-velop our communities, foster economic mobility, and address society’s biggest challenges.

“Bank of America is proud to support the Dolan School of Business Professional Development Series which pre-pares undergraduates for success, building a productive workforce in our community and fueling a healthy economy.”

Bill Tommins Southern CT Market President

Critical Mix creates insights that drive business decisions with easy, collaborative tools to access global target audiences, program engaging surveys, and visualize results. Insights profes-sionals around the world rely on our simplified data solutions to help them innovate and grow.

“Critical Mix is proud to support the Dolan School of Business on its mission to prepare the business leaders of the future. We are thankful for our partnership with Fairfield University and the many tal-ented alumni on our team.”

Hugh Davis ’95 Co-CEO

Future Tech Enterprise, Inc. is an award-winning, global IT solutions provider for leaders in the aerospace, defense, education, healthcare, and government sectors. We help companies solve their toughest IT challenges and are leading business trans-formations with emerging technologies.

“As a lifelong entrepreneur, I am excited to see the training and real-life preparation that students are getting from the Dolan School Entrepreneurship Club and the Fairfield StartUp Showcase. By taking advantage of these and other opportunities, students will be well prepared to create their own entrepreneurial paths.”

Bob Venero, P’21 CEO

At NFP Corp., our solutions and expertise are matched only by our personal commitment to each client’s goals. We’re a lead-ing insurance broker and con-sultant that provides employee benefits, property and casualty, and retirement and individual private client solutions through our licensed subsidiaries and affiliates.

“At NFP, we know that good relationships lead to great suc-cess. The Dolan School does an amazing job of fostering ethics and social responsibil-ity to create strong leaders in business and in life. As a proud alumnus and University trustee, I’m honored that NFP is a corporate partner for such a fine institution.”

Doug Hammond ’86 Chairman and CEO

Symmetry Partners, LLC is an investment advisory firm that sidesteps traditional invest-ment approaches and looks instead to academia for invest-ment insight. The Glastonbury-based boutique investment management firm has built a thriving business providing port-folio management to individuals, retirement plans, and institutions.

“Symmetry is dedicated to helping our clients reach their financial goals through inno-vative, academically derived investment solutions. Our team consists of many proud Dolan graduates and affiliates including our Chief Investment Strategist and Director of Research, as well as numerous interns. Our partnership is invaluable and integral to Symmetry’s growth.”

Patrick Sweeny ’83 Partner and Co-Founder

DOLAN REPORT | WINTER 2019 iii

The Dolan School of Business offers a variety

of strong undergraduate programs to satisfy all

business interests. Our undergraduate programs

include: Accounting, Economics, Finance,

Information Systems & Operations Management,

International Business, Management, and Marketing.

Our graduate programs include the MBA, Master’s

in Accounting, Master’s in Business Analytics, and

Master’s in Finance. The study of business at Dolan

reflects the 500-year-old Jesuit tradition of academic

rigor and personal reflection, which in turn provides

an understanding of the larger ethical, moral, and

global context of life and work.

iv WINTER 2019 | DOLAN REPORT

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DOLAN - Fairfield University...influential startup investment groups. Holding their monthly or semi-annual meetings in the Dolan School dining room, the Angel Investor Forum (AIF)